Associations Between Depressive Symptoms and Physical Activity Intensity in an Older Adult Population During COVID-19 Lockdown

Ana Lage; Susana Carrapatoso; Elzier Sampaio de Queiroz Neto; Sérgio Gomes; Luísa Soares-Miranda; Lucimere Bohn

doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2021.644106

Associations Between Depressive Symptoms and Physical Activity Intensity in an Older Adult Population During COVID-19 Lockdown

Front Psychol. 2021 Jun 7:12:644106. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.644106. eCollection 2021.

Authors

Ana Lage¹, Susana Carrapatoso^{1

2}, Elzier Sampaio de Queiroz Neto¹, Sérgio Gomes³, Luísa Soares-Miranda^{1

4}, Lucimere Bohn^{1

2}

Affiliations

¹ Research Center in Physical Activity, Health and Leisure (CIAFEL), Faculty of Sports, University of Porto (FADEUP), Portugal Laboratory for Integrative and Translational Research in Population Health (ITR), Porto, Portugal.
² Faculty of Phycology, Education and Sport, University Lusófona of Porto, Porto, Portugal.
³ Prefeitura Municipal de Fortaleza, Coordenadoria do Idoso, Fortaleza, Brazil.
⁴ Department of Hematology, Centro Hospitalar Universitário do Porto, Porto, Portugal.

Abstract

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic led to the implementation of physical-social distancing measures-including self-isolation, home confinement, and quarantine around the world, with psychological consequences such as depression. Older adults are especially likely to develop depressive symptomatology. This study aims to investigate the association between physical activity intensities and sedentary behavior with depression levels among previously active older adults during the COVID-19 lockdown.

Methods: A total of 1,123 physically active older Brazilian adults (67.68 ± 5.91 years, 91.00% female) were interviewed by telephone in regard to sociodemographic, general health status, depression (GDS-15), and physical activity (IPAQ-SV) after being home-confined for 11.59 ± 2.42 weeks. Participants were also asked to self-report changes in their physical activity levels and time spent sitting. Descriptive statistics (mean, frequencies), between-groups comparisons (t-tests and chi-square), and hierarchical regression analysis were used.

Results: About 83.80% of older adults self-reported a decrease in daily physical activity levels and 73.90% increased sitting time. Overall, depressive symptoms were observed in 30.40, and 20.80% met physical activity recommendations. Daily moderate (β = -0.174; 95% CI = -0.026; -0.012) and moderate-to-vigorous (β = -0.183; 95% CI = -0.023; 0.011) physical activity intensities were negatively associated with depression score explaining 2.6 and 2.9% of depression variability, respectively, after adjusting for age, gender, education level, body mass index, and polypharmacy. Daily walking and sitting time were not associated with the depression score (p > 0.05).

Conclusion: The results provide empiric suggestion supporting moderate to vigorous physical activity as a way to reduce depressive levels among older adults during COVID-19 confinement. Supervised home-based exercise programs, specifically designed for older adults, might be an important strategy to maintain and improve older adults' mental health.

Keywords: association; depression; intensity; lockdown; pandemic; physical activity.